Centrifugal apparatus



R. M. BERLINE CENTRIFUGAL APPARATUS Dec. 9, 1930.

Filed May '7, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 .5" INVENTOR j mafl I 41A.

TTORNEYS R. M. BERLINE CENTRIFUGAL APPARATUS Filed May 7, 1929 Dec. 9, 1930.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVEN OR viz/ w 7% ATTORNE 3 Patented Dec. 9, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE RAOUL MAXIMEBERLINE, OF RUEIL, FRANCE, ASSIGN OR TO THE SHARPLES SPECIALTY I COMPANY, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE CENTRIFUGAL APPARATUS Application filed May 7, 1929, Serial No. 361,146, and in Luxemburg' May 7, 1928.

It is well known that there are, at the present time two main types of centrifugal purifiers or separators:

Machines with an ordinary tubular bowl,

.and others with dividing cones comprising a series of superimposed cones or plates arranged along the whole length of the bowl. It is furthermore well known that, with equal angular velocities, a centrifugal separator comprising separating cones has a much greater separation than one not so equipped, as the distance which the particles to be separated have to travel, until they reach a surface on which they agglomerate, is reduced by the plates, which means to say that the chances of a complete dissociation of the particles to be separated are increased by this device.

The use of dividing cones becomes however adrawback when all or a portion of the suspended particles to be separated are in a 1 solid state or of a density greater than that of the liquid; such is generally the case.

In such cases and to prevent the solid particles from obstructing too rapidly the spaces between the plates,'one must provide a chamber between the periphery of the plates and the wall of the rotor. This chamber allows the major part of the solid particles to accumulate in it; as, however, the diameter of the plates cannot be reduced without impairing their efficiency, one is led to increase the diameter of the rotor; on theother hand, However,

since the maximum peripherical speed which it is possible to obtain, using a given metal, is the same regardless of the type of rotor used, the angular speed must be varied inversely with the diameter. Centrifugal force being directly proportional to square of the angular velocity it is evident that by increasing the rotor diameter two fold the centrifugal effect is halved. Therefore in centrifugal separators using comparatively short rotors of a relatively big diameter the separation of solids in the chamber outside the plates suffers in consequence, due to the small centrifugal force which acts therein'and it is only in between the plates that an effective separation takes place, resulting in a rapid choking of the spaces between the plates necessitating without any plates, revolving with a high angular speed. It is possible to obtain a much greater centrifugal force in centrifuges fitted with a tubular bowl without plates, due to the small diameter of the bowl and the consequently considerably increased angular speed. In this type of bowl it is possible to have a great height, which is a decided advantage since this increases the duration of the action of the centrifugal force on the liquid treated.

My invention has for an object to combine the advantages of both these types described above in eliminating at the same time their drawbacks.

It is based on the observed fact that in tubular bowls rotating at high speeds, the distribu- 'tion inside the cylinder of the bowl of the dividing plates over a portion only of their height and on the side opposite to the inlet, so that they act as ordinary bowls over the first portion of the distance travelled by the liquid and as bowls with plates over their remaining length. Since by the time the liquid is admitted to the series of plates, it has lost the major portion of its sediments over the first portion of its journey, over that length of the bowl which has no plates, as has been shown above, there will be no need to provide for the accumulation of sediments in the plate zone a chamber of large diameter; this chamber on the contrary can be of restricted dimensions and practically sulficient stopping, due to the small inertia etc.

but slightly greater than that of the plates.

tion of the bowl will increase the eflieciency.

of separation over this portion without any of the drawbacks which are generally associated with them in ordinary separators comprising plates over the whole length of the bowl; the process of dismantling and cleaning will be quite simple due to the small number of plates used and to the fact that there are no plates in the zone where the sediment agglomerates.

The present invention concerns, moreover, a special device for assembling the plates, which device allows of the plates being used in tubular bowls of an existing type so as to transform them into bowls conforming to the present invention.

Other characteristics of the present invention will be detailed during the description, to follow, of the drawings appended herewith and which show as an example two different methods of construction in accordance with the present invention. Identical parts are shown by the same reference numbers on the different figures.

Fig. 1 shows a section through an ordinary tubular bowl and the way the sediments which have been separated by the centrifugal force from the liquid treated, are deposited along the inner surface of the bowl.

Fig. 2 shows a longitudinal part section, part elevation, of a centrifugal bowl, according to the present invention and intended simply for the clarification of a liquid containing in suspension solid particles of a density greater than that of the liquid from which it is to be separated.

Fig. 3 is a part section, part elevation of a separator bowl intended specially for the separation of two liquids which are mixed or emulsified and which may also contain in suspension solid matter to be eliminated.

Figs. 4 and 5 show in perspective the mandrel used for removing from the bowl the group of plates, in case of cleaning and the portion of the hub carrying the plates.

In Fig. 1, which represents a tubular bowl of conventional type for clarification, 1 rep resents the tubular shell itself and 2 and 3 respectively the top and the removable bottom of this shell. The shell is suspended and rotated at its upper portion. 4, which is of a piece with the top 2 and the liquid is admitted through a central orifice 5 in the bottom 3, the sediments separated during the centrifuging are deposited as 6, in the shape of a paraboloid, with its apex directed towards the bottom 3. As can be seen from the drawings the portion of the sediments de Referring now to Fig. 2 which shows a clarifier bowl in accordance with the present invention, comprising the usual type of bowl,

similar to the one shown in Fig. l and at the top of which are mounted dividing cones. 4A represents the dividing cones which are mounted between two pieces 5A and 6A shaped like truncated cones which shall be hereafter referred to as retaining cones. The cones are of such peripheral diameter as to provide a space between the outer edges the reof and the walls of the bowl of such size as to permit liquid to enter the space and deposit the small quantity of solid matter remaining therein. It is necessary that the deposition of solid matter which takes place on the side of the bowl opposite the plates does not obstruct too much the passage of the liquid as it comes to the series of plates,

as this would stop the working after a short time.

The total extent of the plates covers approximately a quarter of the length of the bowl, at the top so as not to make the bowl un duly heavy and to obviate changing the design of the spindle which gives full satisfaction.

The retaining cones 5A and 6A are adjusted without any play on the hub 7 which is provided with three keys 8, spaced at 120. One of these keys is of distinctive size or shape and is adapted to fit in correspondingly-sized o-r shaped grooves in the various cones for correctly centering the entire assembly. In assembling the retaining cones and intermediate cones, the top cone 5A. 1s first positioned on the hub 7 and the remaining cones introduced thereafter. A stop of any desired character (not shown) 'may be affixed to the hub for limiting the movement of the top cone 5A. I

The keys fit within corresponding slots provided in the plates and the upper and lower retaining cones in such manner as to centralize the same and at the same time to provide an annular passage between the hub and the inner edges of the plates and the upper cone 5A, which plates and cone have an internal diameter greater than the diameter of the hub.

The different parts constituting the plates are mounted on the hub and are locked by -a cylindrical nut, 11, the plates being regularly spaced by a certain number of distance pieces 12 stamped on each plate and distributed around the circumference of each plate. These distance pieces can be replaced by bars soldered to the upper face of each plate. Three hangers 14 in the base 13 of the upper cone A carry on a. spindle the articulated springs 15.

The base 13 of the cone 5A is of such diameter as to form in effect asubstantially liquidtight seal against the inner edge of the shell and the upper collar 16 of this cone forms a similar substantially liquid-tight seal with the lower face of the bowl top.

The springs serve to hold the assembled cones and plates in position within the shell to prevent lengthwise movement thereof relative to the shell. The ends 17 of these springs slide in corresponding slots 18 in the bottom cone 6A.

The top portion of the hub 7 is provided with three channelled bosses 19 so as to receive three pins 19A which are secured in the bowl top. These pins insure of the whole system being correctly put in place and of its being rotated. I

The devise is completed by a three wing partition 20, which communicates the rotary motion to the liquid and is separated from the group of plates and serves to impart speed to the liquid as it is admitted intothe centrifuge. This partition at its upper portion is provided with a direction cone 21, preferably removable, whose apex is directed towards the bottom of the bowl. The cone serves to direct the liquid towards the outer edge of the plates and to prevent it from flowing into the lower cone 6A. 7

The various parts of the apparatus are placed in their positions as follows after taking the removable bottom 3 off, the dividing cones are pushed from the bottom into the bowl by means of the tree-wing partition and if necessary by means of the cone 21. The three wings of this partition fit into the slots 18 of the lower cone 6A and guide the device whilst it is being put in its proper position. One of the wings is marked with some sort of punch mark remaining in touch with the side of the bowl marked with a corresponding punch mark. The three-wing partition is held in place by the springs 22, made of pianowire which expand during the-working of thecentrifuge and the pressure which they exert against the side of the bowl prevents the transversal displacement of the partition.

The three-wing partition butts against the deflector 4C1 and this prevents the longitudinal displacement of the group of plates once thebowl, extending as far as the bottom of the group of plates, is scraped and removed from the bowl. I

The cone 21 and the group of dividing cones are then simultaneously extracted, by means of a mandrel, (shown separately on a bigger scale in Fig. 4) which fits into the bore of the hu The arrangement for locking the mandrel to the hub is shown as follows, although it could be modified in a variety of ways. The end of the mandrel spindle is provided with three lateral tenons 24;, extending each over These tenons may fit .into mortises 31 Which are provided inside the hub 7, which is shown separately on a larger scale in Fig. 5. WVhen the mandrel is inserted the tenons project slightly beyond the mortises and the mandrel can be rotated about its axis until the tenons correspond with the projections on the hub. In orderto limit the rotary motion of the mandrel and to insure to the tenons the maximum bearing on the projections, the mandrel comprises a disk 25, with three pins 26 which butt against 3 stops 27 provided on the bottom edge of the hub. If the mandrel is pulled by its handle 28 after it has been locked in the hub, one can subject it to a big pull by sliding the metal mass 29 along the mandrel spindle 27, until it hits the collar stop 30. In this way the group of plates can be extracted in spite of the friction which takes place between the elements of the group and any sediment that might still adhere to the sides of the bowl. The group of plates can then be dismantled, to enable of the cones being easily cleaned, simply by unscrewing the nut'with a special spanner.

WVith regards the working proper of the apparatus, the latter acts as an ordinary tubular bowl over its lower portion, i. e. over approximately three quarters of its height after which the liquid guided by the cone 21 reaches the portion containing the plates and is then treated as in a centrifugal bowl provided with stratifying plates.

Fig. 3, represents, as has been said above, a bowl provided with an assembly of plates for the separation of a mixture or an emulsionof two liquids of different densities.

This assembly of plates is placed into a bowl for separating the liquids which is provided with two sets of outlet orifices, one set for the light and heavy liquids respectively. These two sets of orifices are at different distances from the axis of the bowl so as to allow the independent collection of liquids. Under the action of centrifugal force, the two liquids separate in two layers in that portion of the bowl which does not contain any plates, and in order not to remix them when they pass through the dividing plates, it is necessary for culated, so as to be sufficiently large not to retard the motion of the liquid, without, however, decreasing too much the area of the plates. To enable the flowing liquid to reach the dividing plates without whirl, the lower retaining cone 6A can be lengthened to contact with the inside of the bowl. An auxiliary removable cone 35, analogous in a certain measure to the cone 21 in the preceding case, can be provided over the three-wing partition 20 so that the current of liquid between any two wings is led towardsthe set of orifices 33 provided in the lower retaining cone 6A and thence into the group of plates 4A where it is split into layers, portions of heavy liquid passing through the plates towards the periphery and rising up the annular. space 37 until they reach the set of bowl outlet orifices 38, provided for the heat-*ier liquid, whilst the portions of the lighter liquid are led through the dividing plates towards a channel 39 formed by the difference between the outside diameter of the hub and the inside diameters of the plates. From. this channel the light liquid is directed towards the outlet orifices 40, which are situated in the neck of the bowl. The inside edge 47.0f ring 44 serves as the overflow edge for the heavy liquid. The auxiliarycone 35 could also be left out and in that case one might provide in the lower cone 6A a series of holes 43 placed as near as possible to the axis of the dividing plates and serving as a passage for the light liquid.

Depending on the densities of the constituents of the mixture or emulsion centrifugated, the dividing line can be regulated so as tomaintain it inside the channel 33, 34.

This changing or regulating the dividing line can be accomplished by use of diaphragms 42 and rings 44 of varying inside diameter.

Numerous modifications can be naturally made to the devices described above, remaining all the time within the ground covered by the present invention.

A special note should be made that the invention is applicable in cases where the position of the separation area is effected by means other than those which have been described and which only indicate one particular method of construction.

The group of plates which is shown on the drawings as being at the upper end of the bowl, could equally well be placed at the bottom if the liquid be admitted from the top and lastly the bowl itself can be of any existing or appropriate type whatsoever and its mode of suspension and rotation can equally well be of various construction.

\Vhat I claim is 1. In a centrifugal apparatus a cylindrical, bowl, dividing cones extending over a por-' tion only of the bowl height and on the side opposite to the inlet of the liquid, means for assembling the dividii'lg cones in a removable group, and springs, carried by this groupand which, under the action of centrifugal force come to bear against the sides of the bowl so as to center the group in the bowl.

2. In a centrifugal apparatus a cylindrical bowl, dividing cones extending over a portion only of the bowl height and on the side opposite to the inlet of the liquid, and a multiple removable partition, extending in the portion of the bowl opposite to that containing the dividing cones.

3. In a centrifugal apparatus a cylindrical bowl, dividing cones extending over a portion only of the bowl height and on the side opposite to the inlet of the liquid, a multiple removable partition, extending in the portion of the bowl opposite to that containing the dividing cones and a cone, carried by an intermediate part between the group of dividing cones and the multiple partition, whose apex is turned towards the inlet orifice and which bears against the lower cone retaining the dividing cones so as to guide the liquid.

4. In a centrifugal separator a cylindrical bowl, dividing cones extending over a portion only of the bowl height and on the side oppov site to the inlet of the liquid, an upper and a lower cone carried by the hub, an overflow orifice for the light liquid, an overflow orifice for the heavy liquid, orifices provided in the lower retaining cone and in the dividing cones at the level of separation of the two liquids.

5. In a centrifugal separator a cylindrical bowl, dividing cones extending over a portion only of the bowl height and on the side opposite to the inlet of the liquid, an upper and a lower cone carried by the hub, and orifices provided in the lower retaining cone and in the dividing cones at the level of separation of the two liquids.

6. In a centrifugal separator a cylindrical bowl, dividing cones extending over a portion only of the bowl height and on the side opposite to the inlet of the liquid, an upper and a lower cone carried by the hub, and orifices, provided in the lower retaining cone and in the dividing cones at the level of separation of the two liquids.

7. In a centrifugal apparatus a cylindrical bowl, dividing cones extending over a portion only of the bowl height and on the side opposite to the inlet of the liquid, means for assembling the dividing cones in a group, and means for temporarily fixing the upper portion of this group to the bowl top to enable the group to be rotated.

8. In a centrifugal apparatus a cylindrical bowl, dividing cones extending over a portion only of the bowl height and on the side opposite to the inlet of the liquid, a multiple removable partition,'extending in the portion of the bowl opposite to that containing the dividing cones, and springs to secure the bearing of the multiple partition against the sides of the bowl. 7

9. In a centrifugal apparatus a cylindrical bowl, dividing cones extending over a portion only of the bowl height and on the side opposite to the inlet of the liquid, a multiple removable partition, extending in the portion of the bowl opposite to that containing the dividing cones, a lower lid, at the bottom, carrying the inlet orifice of the liquid, and a deflector carried by this lid and maintaining the multiple partition in place against any longitudinal displacements.

In a centrifugal apparatus, a cylindrical bowl, dividing cones extending over a relatively small portion of the bowl height liquid, means for assembling the and on the side opposite to the inlet of the dividing cones into a removable group and springs carried by this group for holding the group lzgailnst lengthwise movement within the 11. In a centrifugal separator, a cylindrical bowl, dividing cones extending over a portion only of the bowl height and on the side opposite to the inlet of the liquid, an upper and a lower cone carried by the hub, an overflow orifice for the light liquid, an overflow orifice for the heavy liquid, orifices provided in the lower retaining cone and in the dividing cones at the level of separation of the two liquids, and an adjustable and replaceable diaphragm to regulate the level of the overflow edge of one of the liquids.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my BAOUL M. BERLINE.

signature. 

